Team news

Danns poised for Robins bow Bristol City's new loan signing Neil Danns looks likely to go straight into manager Derek McInnes' starting line-up for the visit of Blackpool to Ashton Gate.

The 29-year-old was borrowed from Leicester on Wednesday and after training without a problem on Thursday the former Crystal Palace midfielder looks set to start.

Danns may not be the only new addition this week with McInnes looking to strengthen his squad before the visit of Michael Appleton's side as six players remain on the sidelines.

Greg Cunningham, Cole Skuse, Stephen McManus, Jody Morris, Lewin Nyatanga and Louis Carey will all miss out for the visit of the Seasiders.

"We are looking for any sort of lift and a new signing (Danns) can do that," McInnes said. "There are a lot of injuries at the club at the moment so we are working hard to try and get at least one in for the weekend and hopefully another to join that before the loan window closes.

"The players who are available to us need to go out with the mindset that they are looking forward to the game and relishing the chance to take on Blackpool in front of our own fans." Michael Appleton will have to juggle his options in attack ahead of Blackpool's trip.

Winger Matt Phillips will miss the majority of the Seasiders' games before Christmas having suffered an injury to his big toe, while Gary Taylor-Fletcher is sidelined due to a hamstring tear sustained during last weekend's 2-2 draw with Bolton.

Elliot Grandin could be redeployed to a wide attacking role or Thiago Gomes could make a first start this month in Phillips' absence.

Nathan Delfouneso scored a late equaliser as Taylor-Fletcher's replacement against Wanderers, while veteran striker Kevin Phillips could also come into the reckoning up-front having returned as a substitute last weekend following his lengthy struggle with a calf injury.

Bristol City vs Blackpool

Last modified 19:58 17/11/12

Ince makes City wince Thomas Ince's late penalty denied Bristol City their first victory since mid-September but Steven Davies' spot-kick meant Derek McInnes' men ended a run of seven straight npower Championship defeats with a 1-1 draw.

Davies slammed a penalty past Matt Gilks in the 81st minute after Albert Adomah was fouled, ending a goal drought stretching back nearly seven hours, but Ince had the final say on the stroke of 90 minutes.

McInnes made five changes to his line-up as they looked to put an end to their awful run of form.

Former Middlesbrough captain Matthew Bates, who signed a short-term deal with City just an hour before kick-off, went straight into the side along with Leicester loanee Neil Danns. Elsewhere Jon Stead, Joe Bryan and Stephen Pearson were all handed starts.

Michael Appleton, a former team-mate of McInnes, named Kevin Phillips and Ian Evatt in his starting XI while Nathan Delfouneso was given the nod after his equaliser against Bolton last weekend.

The home side came agonisingly close to scoring for the first time in four games after just nine minutes when Neil Kilkenny drilled the ball against the bar from 35 yards out, and at the other end Ince cut inside but his effort was well saved by Tom Heaton.

Adomah, back from mid-week international duty with Ghana, was the next winger to cut inside and try his luck but his left-footed shot failed to test Seasiders keeper Gilks after a clever one-two with Kilkenny.

Delfouneso and Phillips both tried their luck before the interval, the latter with a speculative 35-yard effort, but Bristol City's defence held firm.

Gilks needed to be alert to keep the game goalless shortly after the break, the Scot racing off his line to deny Jon Stead after the ball broke to the former Huddersfield striker after an under-hit backpass from Event.

Ince then warmed the gloves of City keeper Heaton from distance in the 51st minute before Craig Cathcart put his body on the line to bravely block a strike from Marvin Elliott on the hour mark.

Appleton's side were finding themselves in positive positions but continued to shoot straight at Heaton, Phillips the latest to do that on 63 minutes after Ludovic Sylvestre led a counter attack and the ball fell to the experienced striker.

The visitors then came incredibly close to breaking the deadlock two minutes later when Delfouneso ran clear and his effort from 20 yards hit the post.

When the ball fell to Ince, the winger had time to pick his spot but Heaton pulled off a top-class save to keep out his effort from 12 yards.

In the 78th minute, Gilks hauled down Adomah after the winger chased a long ball and referee Gavin Ward pointed to the spot.

McInnes sent on Davies for Stead while the penalty was waiting to be taken and their top scorer stepped up to send Gilks the wrong way with his first touch.